By: Edem Archibong, Calabar
The Cross River State Governnor, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu has dole out a total sum of #800 million to the selected 400 youths who graduated from Intensive Training on Innovative and Integrated Agricultural value chain farms in Nasarawa State as grant to assist them establish their own farms in the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.
The ceremony took place on Tuesday night in Calabar with the presentation of #2M each to the first 200 youths while the other 200 youths are those repentant Bakassi (Biafra) agitators were presented with cheques as grant to make them become independent and self-sufficient in their various chosen areas of farming.
Speaking during the presentation, Governnor, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu declared that it is his sincere commitment of his administration to empower the people to be self-sufficient and productive to themselves and the state. And some of those projects includes the recently commissioned FADAMA Care fishing Nets/trollers/Boats given to those fishermen from the riverine Communities of Bakassi Local Government Areas were worth #2b each to 100 beneficiaries.
He also explained that his feelings and concern for the youths have made him to make provision for their economic transformation to become more vibrant and productive citizens to themselves, family and the state at large through economic empowerment with grant and skills acquisition.
The “people’s first Governnor further explain that the Youths energy needs to be properly harnessed and directed for positive direction to realize security and eliminate negative tendencies in the society for reasonable economic growth and development such as spontaneous social empowerment.
He also recalled that since the inception of his service period right from the Federal House of Representatives tenure till as Senator of the Federal Republic and now the Governnor, his cardinal vision had been to ensure he provides a positive economic empowerment to the people which would result into an improve life style. This objective results into his being nick-name (Mr. Empowerment) and it didn’t go down well under the crisis driven members of umbrella party in the state.
Speaking earlier is the Cross River State commissioner for Ministry of Wealth Creation And Employment, Hon. Patrick Egbede informed that “agriculture is a critical sector in the state’s economy” and that “investing in it will yield significants returns in promoting entrepreneurship, create jobs and increase food production level in the state while this program is part of the state government efforts to be committed in supporting our farmers and entrepreneurs through training initiatives.
Similarly, the wealth Creation boss also revealed that another 100 people are under going training on information and communication Technology (ICT) Skills and that, they will be graduating this month and they would be expected to be under going job placement after graduation soon.”And those who are not immediately placed will be subjected to internship to contribute to the state and build the work ethics.
End.
